Bollywood legend Meena Kumari, known as the ‘Tragedy Queen,’ endured a life where she was seen primarily as a financial asset by her family, starting her career at the tender age of four.
A Childhood Forfeited for Family Survival
Born Mahjabeen in 1933 Mumbai, Meena Kumari was thrust into the film industry at just four years old. Her father, Ali Bux, a musician, already had her elder sister, Khursheed, working as a child actor to support their family, which included her mother, Iqbal Begum.
Meena’s entry into cinema was not a choice but a necessity. The family struggled with poverty, leading Ali Bux to believe education was an unnecessary expense. Instead, all his daughters were pushed into acting from a very young age.
Recalling her early days, Meena Kumari shared how she envisioned her work lasting only a few days before returning to a normal childhood filled with school and play. However, this dream never materialized.
The Family’s Sole Provider
For her first film, “Leather Face,” Meena Kumari earned a mere Rs 25. Her father quickly realized her potential as the family’s primary “meal ticket.” From the age of six or seven, she was constantly moved from one set to another, with her earnings becoming the sole support for the entire household.
This financial dependence meant Meena never experienced a normal childhood. The money she earned allowed her family to move from a chawl to a house in Bandra, while her parents abandoned their own careers to manage hers. She yearned to study but was never given the opportunity, finding solace only in books whenever she could.
The Price of Independence and Love
As Meena Kumari matured into a leading heroine, she remained financially independent but personally constrained. Her first attempt at self-determination came with her decision to marry director Kamal Amrohi.
Knowing her father would object, she secretly married Amrohi and even saved Rs 2 lakh to present to Ali Bux, hoping to appease him. However, upon discovering the marriage, her father vehemently opposed it and forced her to separate from her husband.
Betrayal and a Lifetime of Unreturned Favours
Despite the forced separation, Meena continued to live in her father’s home, primarily because she was still the family’s main source of income. The ultimate betrayal came when she decided to work on a film with Kamal Amrohi and simultaneously rejected a proposal her father had arranged.
In response, Ali Bux locked her out of the very house she had bought with her earnings. Meena Kumari wrote a heartbreaking letter to him, expressing her wish to avoid court proceedings and only asking for her clothes and books back.
Meena Kumari’s life was a testament to enduring tragedy. From a young age, she was consumed by the demands of her career and family, tirelessly supporting them until her death at 39, often receiving little in return.
- Meena Kumari began her acting career at the age of four to support her impoverished family.
- Her father saw her primarily as a financial asset, denying her a formal education and a normal childhood.
- She secretly married Kamal Amrohi but was forced to separate by her father, even paying him to do so.
- Her father eventually threw her out of the house she had purchased with her own earnings.
Her story remains a poignant reminder of the sacrifices and exploitation faced by many child artists in the entertainment industry.
